Product Description
Back in print after more than ten years.

Torn between the white and Comanche worlds of her parents, Indigo Wolf has grown up estranged from the townspeople of Wolf's Landing, Orgeon. Bo one understands her elusive spirit-until Jake Rand comes to town to act as foreman of her family's ranch. But Jake's real motives are as secret as his true identity, and as personal as his growing attraction to Indigo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Wow
This was the first Catherine Anderson book I ever finished. I really liked it. It was so heartfelt. Anderson really gets deep into the heart of things without going off topic. She delves into the minds of the characters and expresses their emotions and thoughts with such an easiness. The heroine was great, so sweet and easy for me to relate to. The hero was pretty sweet too. He was a little oblivious at times, but it was kind of cute actually. They were such a great couple and this was just such a beautiful story for both of them.

A wonderful story
Catherine Anderson writes a very reviting story. This is the 3rd in a saga of the Comanche ways. I really enjoyed this book. I takes many turns and it a tear jerker.

Catherine does it again!
Catherine Anderson is one of those writers who can take you out of the stress and worries of everyday life and transport you into another place and time.Indigo Blue is the 3rd book in her reissued "Comanche" series, so I highly recommend reading this series in order as opposed to some you don't have to.I loved INDIGO MOON, but missed the presence of the characters from the second book in the series, even though their absence was explained.

Indigo Blue
Catherine Anderson is one of my favorite authors.I enjoyed it and I think you will also.

Very pleased customer
I have been searching for this book at a reasonable cost for several months and finally was able to find it with this Amazon seller.Book was received promptly and as described.Highly recommend this series (ie Commanche Moon, Commanche Heart and Indigo Blue) by Catherine Anderson!I love the characters and how cultural aspects are described. ... Read more

Product Description
Out of the Empty Ruins of Yesterday

Penniless, desperate and determined, Maggie Stanley grabs her small baby and runs into the snowy Idaho night, fleeing a dangerous, hurtful life. Now in her loneliest, blackest hour, a handsome, down-and-out stranger's compassion shines forth like a torch in the darkness, offering her the warmth and comfort she has always longed for but has never known. But though tenderness lives buried deep in Rafe Kendrick's heart-and though Maggie sees a soul wounded like her own in the depths of his startlingly beautiful eyes-she knows she must never, ever trust any man again.

Toward an Undreamed-of Tomorrow

Rafe, however, is more that he seems-an enigmatic man of secrets who could give Maggie the moon and stars, had he not solemnly vowed to spend the rest of his life alone. But sometimes, without warning, love can transform a cold, pitiless world into paradise. And a man who has lost nearly everything, a woman who has forgotten how to dream, and the helpless child who needs them both can truly become that most wondrous of creations: a family.

Amazon.com Review
Setting: Contemporary Idaho and Oregon
Sensuality Rating: 6

Bestselling author Catherine Anderson captivates readerswith her tale of a desperate young mother, her newborn son, and therundown drifter who rescues them one bitterly cold night. Little does RafeKendrick suspect that his long-frozen heart will crack wide open when heoffers the warmth of his coat to a desperate runaway and her hungry baby.Maggie Stanley has little reason to trust any man, much less Rafe, thedrunken cowboy she meets hitching a ride in a boxcar. But when he puts hisown life in danger to protect Maggie and her baby, Jaimie, from thelowlifes sharing their railroad car, she's forced to place her batteredbody and equally battered heart into Rafe's hands for safekeeping. Boundtogether by circumstance, the two zealously guard their secrets until lovepermits Rafe to let go of the tragic deaths of his wife and child that senthim running from his former life as a successful rancher. And Rafe's gentleand loving care of Jaimie allows Maggie to see that here is finally a manwilling and able to protect her from the harsh realities around everycorner. Full of gut-wrenching emotion and plenty of human drama, CatherineAnderson's Baby Love shouldn't be missed. --Alison Trinkle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Terrible
This book was extremely disappointing. Catherine Anderson is good writer, there's no question about that, but this story was TERRIBLE.
I have a LOT of issues with this book. First of all, Rafe is a heartbroken bum, who just happens to be a millionaire? What are the odds? It was commendable of him to want to take care of Maggie, but she had just spent the last few years being physically and sexually abused, the last thing she needed was for a stranger to force her into marriage.
I think this book would have been much better if Rafe used his resources to provide a home and legal aid for her, without forcing himself into her life. And then a romance could slowly begin.
Within days of meeting her, he basically forced her into marriage, and expected to consummate the marriage on their wedding night.
Another issue that I found extremely irritating was the fact that Rafe could not, WOULD NOT, shut up about how wealthy he is. For example, he boasts that he has more money in the bank than the doctor does. And he boasts that he can buy the entire town if he wants to. Or whatever. Since when did arrogance and self-importance become values that Prince Charming possesses?
Also, Maggie kept saying that her mum is very "child-like". What does that mean? Apparently, she had a heart attack after Maggie's father passed away, but repeatedly, Maggie and Rafe mention that she is "child-like".
Anyway, this book was an extreme disappointment, and I deeply regret wasting my time. I did return it and got my money back. So there's the silver lining. :)

Fabulous first half, generic second half.
This may have been the most compelling opening premise I've ever read. I cracked the book at like 2am last night (there's something wrong with me, I know this) planning to just read the first 2 or 3 pages to see if it was something I wanted to read next. Next thing you know, it was 3am. Face. Palm.

Maggie Stanley is running scared. Literally. With a diaper bag and an infant she's running towards a rural Idaho train yard to hop on a boxcar, desperately trying to escape the man who viciously beat her.

Rafe Kendrick is a filthy bum passed out drunk in the corner of the boxcar she hops into. The recurring dream of his dead wife and children is suddenly interrupted by a baby's wailing. His resolve to butt out and not make this his problem shatters when the other tramps in the car start to menace her and the baby falls on the floor.

Both are tortured souls. Maggie is beaten, bruised and terrified of men. Rafe is haunted by the car wreck that killed his wife and two young children two years ago. Despite her fear and his determination to not get involved with another woman, they end up leaning on each other. Rafe hocks his wedding ring to put her up in a motel and buy her some baby formula.

The emotions in this first third of the book are gripping. Rafe's grief bleeds through the pages. He couldn't stand the thought of going on without his family, so he walked out of the ranching operation he ran with his brother and rode the rails, finding oblivion in a whiskey bottle. He sees a second chance to do right and be needed in Maggie and her infant son Jaimie. At the same time, Maggie fights the urge to lean on Rafe. She's been terribly abused - physically, emotionally, sexually - and though she's weak from her injuries, she struggles with the need to trust him to help.

Where it all started to go sort of droopy on me was when Rafe turned out to be a Surprise Millionaire Hero just past the halfway point. Why set up all this angst and drama and character building just to dash it away with dollar signs? The guy's been riding the rails for two years, hasn't contacted his family at all, then makes one quick phone call to his brother and BAMF he's flying the Cessna out to get him and Maggie and bring them to the family homestead for a love-in. It was a complete 180 in terms of emotion and tone. It went from a gritty tale of two poor souls hitting rock bottom together to a rather run of the mill rich man brings his poor bride to meet his cheerfully close family and spend all their problems away.

Toss in a few plot holes (**possible spoiler though I think it's fairly evident early on** If the heroine's stepdad was raping and abusing her, that's a slam dunk to get the 10 year old sister removed from that home. You don't need to wait for proof that he's abusing the younger girl. So much needless drama there. **spoiler**) and uninspiring prose that does not justify the tendency for telling rather than showing, and it finished on a disappointing note for me. The constant praise for Maggie for letting her stepdad abuse her to keep him away from her sister and trying to keep it from her mother to spare her the distress also rankled my inner feminist. I don't find futile self-sacrifice heroic in the least.

I wavered between a 3 and a 4, so I'll call it a 3.5.

Not Good!!
This book was hard to read.I couldn't even finish it.It was just way too boring and unbelievable.

Great Story but No Fireworks for Me
Story about a young woman with a practically newborn baby who is so desperate to escape abuse that she runs from home and jumps a train. Once on the train, she is almost attacked by a group of bums but one man there puts himself on the line and saves her and her child.

I don't want to give to much away here so I'm going to be brief: The man who saves her is not exactly the hobo/bum/drunk he seems. I don't want to ruin the story so I won't say anymore other than this is a pretty good storyline. There are parts that for me were far-fetched and not so believable but hey, this is a romance novel not non-fiction so that was a very minor thing all in all.

I would rate this 3.74 to 4 stars because it is well written but I felt the sexual scenes were just kind of vanilla and quite frankly, a bit ho-hum and there's not a lot of conflict between the hero and heroine (my fav romances always have at least a bit of this) so when they did come together, it just wasn't fireworks - to me anyway. The romance of this story is more the tender, abiding love kind rather than the fireworks kind and so the sexual content is less detailed than you might find in say, a Lisa Kleypas or Elizabeth Hoyt novel. This is fine and the book reads like this is the author's intent. This story's focus is much more on the "finer" feeling of love.

The hero and heroine are likeable but I did feel the author went into too much detail about what happens to the female body after being pregnant. Yes, I know that's real life but she chose to bring it up before/during the sexual scenes at times and I'm sorry but that's so NOT sexy however, it did serve to make me have "awwwww" feelings toward the hero because every woman wants to be loved for who she is and certainly not just because she does or does not have a super-stupendous "rack" and perfectly unblemished-in-any-way skin (which is what a lot of romance writers seem to portray).

I did like this book but I didn't love it and it was well written enough that I would not be averse to reading more by this author but, over-all, it just wasn't the type of romance novel that I really enjoy and this wasn't the author's fault at all but just my own personal preference so if you are someone who likes good story then you will probably enjoy this one but if, like me, you're looking for something just a shade "hotter" with a bit more conflict between the two main characters then you might want to try something else.

Best of Catherine Anderson
This is my favorite of Catherine Anderson. A stand alone book that you don't need another book to have more background.A definate re-read in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description
Five years ago, Laura Townsend's life was nearly destroyed when a head injury impaired her ability to use language and forced her to abandon a brilliant career. Her vivacious spirit intact, she has found a great new job at an animal clinic-and a handsome new boss who fills her heart with longing. Now he's moving heaven and earth to convince her they belong together, but since she can't fulfill all of his needs, shouldn't she love him enough to walk away? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

A Cute Love Story
To me this was a cute love story. Laura and Isaiah aren't your ideal couple at first, but you get to know each one of them and realize they are perfect for each other. I absolutely loved Isaiah because he was able to see Laura's heart and not her condition. This story just reminds me that love can conquer all.

love this author!
Love Catherine Coulter's style.Great stories, fun characters, true romance, thougfhtful mystery, and a real getaway from daily life.

Best of the Series
I have read all of the books in the Coulter series at least once but My Sunshine is the one that I keep coming back to.I read it every couple months because the story never gets old.From the beginning the story is very sweet and endearing and it's very hard to put down once you have started.The two main characters, Laura and Isaiah, have an instant chemistry that develops slowly through the book into something very real and romantic.Laura is a very intelligent young woman that was reduced to menial jobs because of a brain injury.Isaish is kind enough to give her a chance at his vet clinic as one of the kennel keepers as a favor to his mother.Laura quickly becomes a favorite among the staff and with Isaiah.When 13 puppies face being put down Laura steps in and offers to care for them.Isaiah offers to let her move in with him temporarily because Laura does not have room in her apartment.Over the next couple weeks the two of them fall in love with each other.

I love this book because it lets you know that love is possible anywhere and that it can overcome all kinds of obstacles.I highly recommend this book and the rest of the Coulter series.

Just too perfect
Wow i could not believe how perfect the main female character was in this story.She could clean to perfection, cook exceptionally well, decorate homes and offices, didnt need much sleep, could perform vet tech. help during surgery (without training no less), and was a marvel with all animals.I must admit that Saint Laura is... well I just have no words for this character.
STAY AWAY unless you want to be bored to absolute tears.

This romance just made my heart melt!
The heroine in this story suffers from aphasia because of a brain injury many years ago. Her name is Laura. She has trouble speaking long words. She has trouble counting. She sees some numbers and letters backwards. Despite everything, she has managed to live an independent life and hold a job.

She has accepted that men will no longer be interested in her because of her speech problems. She never expects to find love again.

Enter our hero - Isaiah - a veterinarian with a warm heart that needs a good woman to take care of him because he stays so busy that he simply forgets to take care of himself. He overlooks the heroine's bad speech and sees her big heart.

The story was just a little slow to get going, but it was so worth it. I loved the story. It is incredibly sweet. ... Read more

Product Description

THE PROTECTOR

From the moment Heath Masters lays eyes on Meredith Kenyon, he knows there's something mysterious in this pretty woman's past. True, she seems like a good mother to her little daughter, but as local sheriff Heath has seen his share of liars ... and Meredith is certainly hiding something. But though his romantic gestures are met with suspicion, Heath can't help but be drawn to his vulnerable new neighbor. He doesn't entirely trust her, but he sure does want to kiss her

THE WOMAN ON THE RUN

About to lose her child in a devastating childcustody case, Meredith transformed herseIf from urbanwidow to small town mom, escaping the clutches of her abusive late husband'smanipulative father. Fleeing across America, she ran stright into the armsof the lonely lawman. Heath's persistence melts her misgivings, making her wonder if she could overcome her traumatic former life. But could his love protect her from her past--now and foreve?r

THE WOMAN ON THE RUIN
About to lose her child in a devastating child custody case, Meredith transformed herself from urban widow to small town mom, escaping the clutches of her abusive late husbands manipulative father. Fleeing across America, she ran straight into the arms of the lonely lawman. Heaths persistence melts her misgivings, making her wonder if she could overcome her traumatic former life. But could his love protect her from her past--now and forever? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Good until the end when one line ruined the whole thing
Before getting to 3 pages from the end of the book, I would have rated this book much higher. I seem to be the only reviewer that is appalled by one line spoken by the "hero" of the story. The book focuses on the struggles of a single mom, fleeing a mob-connected father-in-law. The author made the mental, physical and sexual abuse of the "heroine" a key point in the book. Good story until the end when she and the hero were reunited and he states how often he's thought of seeing her again and "raping her sweet a@@." WHAT????!@!!@@?? Are you kidding me? There is NEVER an occasion when this comment should be used as a joke or an endearment. It will be a long time, if ever, before I buy another Catherine Anderson book.

cute little story
This is a good read on a quiet afternoon. Nothing overly romantic about it, but not dissapointing!

Wonderful...
This book is one of Catherine's best. I loved it. The hero (Heath) is simply wonderful. All the characters are great. Meredith is strong and courageous, though she had been abused, and in horrible ways. She is fragile and vulnarable, at the same time. There is also Meredith's adorable little girl, and Heath's lovable dog, Golaith.

The storyline is great. And the way the blossoming love between Heath and Meredith is protrayed, is unforgettable.

This book was a great, great read. It will make you lol at some parts, it will move you to tears or make your heart flutter at some parts.

Hightly recommended!

Another Foo Foo book
I took this on a business trip to Atlanta.It kept me preoccupied on a bumpy flight.Story was familiar.I have been associated with abused wives in my profession and sort of bought into the book.Once you get past that, the interaction between Merry, Heath and adorable Sammy was amusing.Goliath is a wonder dog and I want to buy him!!!

I think this is enuf of these kinds of books for a while.I am supposed to stay away from too much sugar.

A double review follows!
I bought a copy of this to read on a plane but fell asleep instead (fortunately!) so it had to wait a couple of weeks before I picked it up.Once I finished it, I thought - hey - I know this plot - and so a look on the shelves found a copy of Susan Andersen's "Exposure".

Both are the story of an abused or misused woman with a small daughter, on the run from someone who wants to possess them in a most nefarious way.Each fetches up in a remote part of the US and each manages to find accommodation right next door to the local sheriff.The local sheriff in each case has a traumatic past and is in deep need of the love of the right woman.Bad man arrives and after some hair raising difficulties, the bad man is seen off by the sheriff (who has fallen love with the daughter and mother) and instant family lives happily ever after.

However, where these two stories are very different is in the nature of the heroines - in this book Meredith Kenyon is strong but a bit namby-pamby (and this makes it even more surprising because she is in the middle of an "I married the mob" story).In the case of "Exposure" by Susan Andersen, once you get around the stupid emphasis on our heroine's tacky New Orleans drawl, the heroine, Emma Sands, is feisty, smart, cocky yet very vulnerable.The two tiny daughters are different in that Meredith's is terribly traumatised (very moving) but Emma's is a chip off her mommy's block and despite the baby talk, she is one of the better child characters I've encountered.

Our two sheriffs - Heath Masters in this story and Elvis Aaron (!!!) Donnelly in "Exposure" are both the survivors of difficult and dysfunctional childhoods but, given the choice, Elvis wins hands down for pure sexual attraction.I love the fact that his mom was the town trick turner but, despite it all, he loves her, looks out for her and for the most part is just plain infuriated by her.He's a huge hunk of a man whose vulnerabilities are far more endearing and attractive than Heath Master's problems.

I thought the supporting dramatis personae in "Exposure" was more amusing.At times "Forever After" seemed like a two-hander and the other members of the cast added very little to the overall story and development of the two main characters.

I'd give "Exposure" 5 stars - no problem - but this one gets four purely because I found it entertaining and a good read although I was not as "involved" with the H/H.However, after two of her books in quick succession, I'm not sure that I will be inrush to try again soon.I've not read anything else by Susan Andersen - I'll have to see if she can hit the spot again. ... Read more

Product Description

Seventh Heaven

Ten years ago Joe Lakota had left behind his small Oregon town and the only woman he'd ever truly loved for the empty promises of the big city. Now he's returned, seeking to raise his young son with values you can only find at home, and longing to rekindle the passion he'd once had with beautiful Marilee Nelson. But Marilee isn't anything like the gentle yet self-assured girl he'd left behind. In her place is a woman tormented by a secret she refuses to share, even with Joe.

Marilee never wanted to see Joe again; their parting had been too painful. And though his strong arms and powerful body could protect her, she knew only too well the harm they could also bring. Her head tells her to resist Joe's persistent advances, her heart is telling her something very different. And then he makes her the sweetest proposition of all: become his wife and mother of his child. But how can she agree to a marriage, even in name only, when she can't stand to tell him the truth? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Catherine Anderson is a sensation!!!!!
I have never written a review before and I have read literally thousands of romance novels. I tend to read one book by a given author and if I like her writting style I read EVERY book she has ever written. I have done this with countless authors Sandra Brown, Linda L. Miller, Jodi Thomas, Nora Roberts, Just to name a few and usually I can count on the books being a good read . Obviously some are better than others but all in all I am glad I read the book. In the case of Catherine Anderson I have to say I have LOVED each and every one of her books . To date I have read every book she has written except for the ones that are so out of date that the price is outrageous. I have 4 kids in college and can't afford that luxury. All of the books are full of love, happy endings and some even great humor and although set in a different time and place the events are timeless and often I would laugh at how close it has touch my life. If you love romance as I do and you want to read a book with everything a romance novel should be , I urge you not to miss any of Ms. Andersons books each is a treasure to be opened and enjoyed , hope this review will help anyone who is in search of a good romance author whose books you haven't yet read . I wnat to add I don't know Ms. Anderson and I wrote this becasue anyone who loves to read should have the opportunity to read her books. Let me know how you enjoyed them Happy Reading !!!

Great book!
This book brought back some bad memories for me, so it was hard to read at times. It's proof (I'm proof) that women can heal from horrible experiences. If you've ever suffered from PTSD, you'll be able to relate to Marilee. And Joe is such a sweetheart! The characters were so easy to love, especially Boo and Zachary. If you're a rape victim, and have PTSD, you shouldn't read this book...in my opinion.

Continuous Kudos For Catherine Anderson
Catherine Anderson rarely disappoints. I have read most, but not all of her books, and Seventh Heaven is a winner. Anderson is skilled in delivering strong, well fleshed out characters and romance in spades without dropping the ball. I love the unshakeable bond between Joe and Marilee. Their friendship, dedication and devotion to one another is heartwarming. One other thing I adore about Anderson is that she paints realistic characters on her canvases. Particularly the women. Women who don't forever fall into the delicate, helpless, perfect little cookie cutter mold. Her women are often strong and physically and emotionally flawed, which the average woman WANTS in their story. At least I do. Who wants to read about someone who makes THEM feel frumpy and undesirable? lol As a woman who suffers from panic attacks, I understood the character of Marilee all too well. I applaud Catherine Anderson for tackling REAL issues such as date rape, anxiety, paralysis and blindness. Issues that are so much more realistic and relevant than simply putting two obscure characters together where they bicker..they clash..they have hot, meaningless sex and they live happily ever after. Puh-leeze!!

Touch Down all the way........
I absolutely loved this book. The relationship between Joe and Marilee was so amazing. There is a good message in this book for all women. Joe Lakota is the kind of man we should aspire to have love us and we should not settle for anything less. Thank you Catharine Anderson for always writing the leading men in your books who are standup guys who love and respectwomen!!!! and others!!!!!!

Love Lost, Love Found
When Joe Lakota returns to his hometown, he returns much wiser than he was in high school. Can he rekindle his relationship with Marilee Nelson? Not if Marilee has anything to say about it.

Can Marilee get over a painful past with the healing love of her high school love? Or does healing come in the form of a little boy who desperately needs love?

A tear jerker that will keep you turning the pages.
... Read more

Product Description
Simply Wild
The wealthy owner of a Colorado mining empire, Luke Taggart has seen and done it all. Now, bored with saloons, gambling and loose women, he feels a restless yearning-for what, he doesn't know. Until he meets a woman as fresh and pure as a spring morning-and vows to possess her...at any cost.

Simply Innocent
Compassionate, radiant and breathtakingly lovely, Cassandra Zerek has a charming naivete that seems to blind her to Luke's seductive schemes-and an unwavering belief in the magical ability of love to transform this frog masquerading as a prince into the man of her dreams.

Simply Love
Soon Cassie has aroused not only Luke's desire, but his conscience-most unexpectedly-as well. But neither gold nor guile will make her his own. Only the most precious gift of all can win her: Luke's deep and abiding love.

Amazon.com Review
Fans of Annie'sSong will also enjoy Simply Love, a classic romance bytalented Catherine Anderson. Set in a Colorado mining town during the19th century, this romance brings together a truly naive heroine withthe ultimate bad boy hero. If Cassandra was any more naive, she mighteven be simple, but it is "simply" her love that defines newmeaning for Luke Taggart, a tough, impossible man of the world who isalmost beyond redemption. This story is deeply emotionally satisfying,although you will not find any surprises in it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

One of the BEST books I've ever read!!!!
I absolutely LOVED this book. I have read Catherine Anderson before and her books are pretty good but this one was outstanding. I just wished it could have gone on and on. The hero was my favorite type....cranky,mean,just ripe for redemption from a good woman. Cassie is yes very naive as other reviewers have pointed out but I found that to be refreshing. I get tired of most heroines in romance books who are bitchy and stubborn. Cassie was a breath of fresh air. I wish the book would have had an epilogue but oh well...it didn't take away from the enjoyment I got from reading this book. I can't say enough good things about it...just go out and get it.

4-1/2 stars. FUNNY interesting book, a little too draggy in parts.
This book made me laugh out loud more than a few times. The "hero," Luke, was such an absolute scoundrel (we find out some reasons why--not that it's any excuse for him to be so dastardly, but he did go through a lot when he was a kid). He has the worst intentions for lovely and painfully innocent Cassandra, but he finds himself thwarted at every turn by her complete trust in him and her complete cluelessness about the ways of the world. He finds himself putting up with so much more than he'd ever dreamt of (like having a smelly dog sleep on his bed, or sharing his bed with Cassandra's little brother who doesn't like to sleep alone!). LOL.

I found the transformation of the awful hero to someone with a conscience and a real sense of love and moral duty to be a convincing one (though it sure did take him a while to make that final leap!). The book did drag on a bit too long, though, and had maybe too much hand-wringing about it, that went ON and ON. Like the other Catherine Anderson book I've read (Baby Love) the book starts out GREAT but does drag a bit for the last portion.

But still it was a fantastic read overall, and I'll be keeping it in my book collection, for a re-read later on!

Naive
I can not believe how naive Cassandra Zerek was in this book.I can not fathom any woman being that naive.I don't think her father could have totally and completely isolated her from the villains in the world as Ms. Anderson would have us believe.She is 18 years old and Luke, who knows how old he is, wants her.He makes her sign a contract to be his "paid companion".She really believes he wants her to just be his friend when he has ulterior motives here.Of course since her father and brother weren't around she signed the contract and went along with it.Until he spelled it out to her!One would think that she would have been completely insulted at that point and tried to get away.Nope.Something happened with the dog and she convinces herself that Luke is really a good guy and hangs around.When her father and brother finally appear and spell it out to her she is so mad at Luke and can't believe what she had done.She walks out.He tries to get her back and there really was an excellent grovelling scene.That is about the one thing that saved this book for a 4 star rating.Usually the man doesn't grovel no matter what he did but this one, Luke Taggart, he did!!

I liked it! 3.5 stars
This book takes place in Colorado in 1887. Luke Taggart is the richest man in town- and goodlooking to boot, but he has a foul past that is still haunting him. His mother was a poor prostitute that abused him in many ways. He finally strikes it rich and now has the respect of everyone in town. He's A womanizer thatdespises the word love and will never give his heart to any woman. After becoming bored with all the whores he dallies with, he decides to search for a fresh virginal live in mistress. Cassandra is just the woman he's looking for and he will lie cheat or do anything else to have her in his bed, but Cassandra grew up as innocent as can be - wanting to be A nun, and she doesn't understand the seedy side of life, and when she see's Luke, all she can see is the goodness in him. Will she still see the good in him after she finds out what he does to her and her family?

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I was really wary of Cassandra because it was hard to believe anyone could be that naive, but after A while I got passed her naivety and started to enjoy the book. I think it was because there were so many laugh out loud moments. Her naivety started to become funny instead of stupid and Luke's reaction to it was hilarious! There was one major love scene and it was well described. The secondary characters also brought the book to life. Father Tulley was my favorite. I thought he was a wondreful down to earth priest!After all was said and done though, I thought the book dragged on too long. I started to get A little restless with how long Cassandra took to forgive Luke- but overall the book was enjoyable!

Very good romance
I would definitely say this book had lots of laughs, lots of romance, and lots of crafty stories and ideas.
I was entertained throughout.I have read this book cover to cover TWICE. ... Read more

Product Description
Things keep getting brighter for fans...

The New York Times bestselling author of Blue Skies is back with a brand-new love story!

Now, inAnderson's latest Coulter family story, serious-minded Zeke Coulter'slife begins to sizzle when he finally meets his match... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

great story
Loved the story.The author is awesome at building thoughts, story and feelings.Romantic and realistic.

Bright Eyes


Servie was A1.Would use again.Loved this book.

Wonderful!
This product came prompt and on time like you said it would. No problems with the condition of the book because it was in mint condition. Great read! Thanks a bunch!

bright eyes
the book is awesome, I wish I had started reading the series in order, I have read most of the stories except the book about Bethany, I have heard so much about the story it is too late to read it. maybe they should be numbered.

A Coulter disappointment!
I Love Catherine Anderson's writing style and the different angles of love that she is able to write about, but this one was just a boring read. Nathalie is recently divorced with 2 kids and Zeke is the neighbor whose home was vandalized by Nathalie's son. Zeke agrees to let Chad, her son, work of the debt and soon enough they fall in love.
This book just didn't do it for me. Zeke was boring and so was Nathalie. There was no depth to their characters, I just felt like they went through the motions and Zeke was a bit too perfect to me. Pretty easy read, but if you are used to Catherine's Coulter novels, don't expect too much. The secondary characters were really just flat and even some of the dialogue with the Coulter family didn' seem as interesting as they usually are.
As a Coulter family fan I still would recommend reading it as part of the series. ... Read more

Product Description
Known for her amazing talent, the New York Times bestselling author of Only by Your Touch and Always in My Heart delivers an extraordinary new tale of two people who, in the most unexpected of circumstances, discover the healing power of love... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Stolen Plot
I read this book and I thought the plot sounded familiar, but I couldn't figure it out. A couple weeks later I was watching an older X-Men with my brother and it was about Hank (the Beast) helping treat a woman named Carly with blindness. She's able to see again and they fall in love. Catherine Anderson totally stole this story! At the least she should have changed the names! I was really disappointed, I was starting to like the series...

JUST AS YOU SAID "LIKE NEW"
I would buy from this company again. The book was second hand but looked brand new and still in it's shrink wrap. It came quickly and without any problems. I would buy from this company again
Sincerely Audrey Mayes

A Disappointing Read
Blue Skies is a dime a dozen, cliche modern-day cowboy/rancher romance with an innocent ignorant heroine and a hunky chauvinistic womanizer hero. The dialogue is corny and clumsy. The characters are superficial and underdeveloped. The plot has been done before. Pickup at a bar, one night stand. Pregnancy. Hero does the honorable thing--marries the heroine temporarily just until the baby is born, blah, blah blah. So what. Secondary characters introduced so that you'll supposedly be compelled to buy the other Coulter saga's--if you have to , use the library instead.

And the medical diagnosis for the blindess is written like a clinical college lecture--too forced for me.

I've read other Catherine Anderson novels that I thought were a lot more entertaining than this one. Definitely not worthy of the overall 4-star rating.

Heartwarming, pacient love story.......
I really loved this story! I loved the way Hank was apologetic and did his best 100% of the time to make up for his mistake. I read the other reviews and some were against the story because of her attitude toward him, BUT I thought she was in her right to feel the way she felt towards him. She had a rough time in her past with men, and let's not forget the way Hank met Carly. The day he met her at a bar it was her first time at a bar as a spectator, so of course she was swept off by Hanks good looks and charm. As soon as he realized she had no experience he regretted it, and I loved Hank for that, but Carly didn't know this so that explained her defensive behavior through out the story.I have to admit I couldnt put this book down until I finished reading it at 3am;I cried and went to sleep happily! Highly recommended!

Writes well but no cigar.....
Catherine Anderson can construct a sentence with the best of them but her characters--her heroines especially--are so unsatisfactory that it's hard to identify with them.Even when she tries to give them human foibles, she can't really commit.When Carly, the 28-year old blind from birth virgin who throws caution to the wind one night and has unprotected sex with a stranger in a pickup truck, finally admits that her resulting pregnancy is at least partly her fault, you get the idea that Anderson herself doesn't really believe it.The fault is clearly Hank's, for he is the one Anderson makes pay.He willingly gives up many things to "do right" by Carly, who is nauseatingly Pollyanna-ish one moment and self-sacrificing the next, hurting both herself and Hank, and apparently giving little thought to her unborn child.Anderson pushed sympathy for Carly so hard that I could not help rebelling.I liked Hank marginally better but by the end, I was tired of them both.Added to this is Anderson's tendency to tell far more than we either need or want to know about her particular hobby horse--her heroine's disability.The research shows and it gets tiresome.

Anderson seems to want to teach, preach and play social worker, all while writing a romance novel.Writing well can't overcome this uncomfortable mix, at least for me.If she wants to write about heroes and heroines overcoming disabilities--and clearly she does since most of her books are in this vein--she should take a look at how Laura Kinsale did it, with humor, understanding, compassion, and a satisfying resolution.Otherwise, I'll take my romance straight, thank you, without the pathos. ... Read more

Product Description
New York Times bestselling author Catherine Anderson lights up the Old West with a new tale of love, danger, and redemption.

After breaking off thier engagement, Eden Paxton's fiance spreads so many rumors about her that she is forced to leave San Francisco. Her pride bruised, an angry Eden heads for the wilds of Colorado to live with her half brothers. But murderous outlaws cut the trip short when they kidnap her, intending to sell her across the Mexican border.

Ever since a gang murdered his wife, Matthew Coulter cannot see a woman being mistreated without vowing to rescue her--and exacting vengeance against the evildoers. So when he spots Eden with the ruffians, Matthew takes fierce, focused action to save her.

As Eden and Matthew run for their lives, she recognizes a kind heart beneath Matthew's rugged exterior. But she wonders which will win out: his obsession with revenge--or their growing passion for each other. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Early Dawn
After a broken engagement, Eden Paxton leaves San Francisco for Colorado in the hopes of a better life. But when her train is robbed, murderous outlaws kidnap her intent on selling her across the Mexican border.

Matthew Coulter has been hunting the outlaws ever since they murdered his wife. When he catches up with them and realizes they have another woman at their mercy, he vows to rescue her and finally exact his revenge on the gang. As Matthew and Eden run for their lives, they form a strong bond. But will that bond be strong enough to withstand Matthew's obsession for revenge?

Catherine Anderson always manages to write heartfelt stories about strong men and the even stronger women who love them. EARLY DAWN fits that motif beautifully. From the opening pages, Ms. Anderson's trademark style draws readers into a tale of two people who are thrown together by fate, and who find an everlasting love.

I loved that Eden is a strong, capable heroine who meets challenges head on. Instead of hiding behind Matthew, she fights beside him. Matthew is a man who is bound by honor. He doesn't take the easy way out, he does what is right regardless of how it will hurt, yet he is also driven by a burning revenge that gets in the way of his relationship with Eden.

This book is a little bit edgier than some of Ms. Anderson's other books, dealing with some hard-hitting issues like violence, revenge, and sexual abuse. However, Ms. Anderson manages to strike just the right balance by peppering it with sweet, humorous moments that will leave you with a smile on your face and warm-fuzzies in your heart. And of course I enjoyed the opportunity to re-visit the Paxtons and Keegans, who continue to be beloved characters.

EARLY DAWN is another wonderful book from Catherine Anderson. She is one author who never disappoints.


Review reprinted with permission from CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Well Targeted Romance
//Early Dawn// features more stories from Catherine Anderson's Keegan family, including the return of Ace Keegan, who plays second fiddle to his sister, Eden, in this wild west tale full of outlaws, train robbers, and horse chases. The plot includes all the necessary elements of an old west tale, but adds the expert romance story, which has become a signature achievement of Catherine Anderson.

Eden finds herself in a nightmare when she is kidnapped by a gang of outlaws. Her rescuer, Matthew, finds her to be more than he bargained for when he rescues her. Matthew's character is based on a heart-rending back story that is likely to capture the reader's interest. This positions Matthew as a character of high sympathy for readers, making the duo that much easier to root for.

Although the back story is full and developed, the minor characters tend toward the two-dimensional and predictable. Yet, the book will likely please its target audience due to tender scenes.

Although the ending is likely to satisfy this audience, the introduction of more objects in the way of the duo's "settling down" seemed to draw it out a little more than necessary.

Reviewed by Allena Tapia

De'ja' vu
This book was not one of her best. The book just was the same thing over and over again going around in circles, making camp, tired, breaking camp, traveling and then the same thing over and over and over. I felt like the girl.....enough already!! It got very boring. It wasn't all bad, so I gave it a 3 stars instead of 2.

Okay
I love Catherine Anderson books, in fact Keegan's Lady is one of my favorites.I was so excited whenthis book came out and I was disappointed. I still don't understand where she was coming from with the characters. The male hero was avenging his pregnant wife's horrible rape and murder but then decides to send the outlaws to the sheriff? It was a letdown.

Ok but not up to Catherine's other historicals
I've really missed Catherine's historicals so was excited about Early Dawn. It didn't quite live up to her other historicals and pretty much the whole book was the characters circling for weeks out in nowhere land.Not much of a story. It liked Matthew and Eden but they were not as big as her past characters and didn't really leave a stamp on my heart like the characters from her other historicals normally do. I miss the early years when Catherine's historicals were beyond fantastic, tugged at your heart and her characters stayed with you long after the book ended.They're still on my keeper shelf.Give us more like Comanche Moon, Comanche Heart, Keegan's Lady, Cherish, Annie's Song.... etc.Love them all!! ... Read more

Product Description
A brand new CONTEMPORARY series from the New York Times bestselling author whose novels are:

Born with second sight, Loni MacEwen must warn the handsome rancher Clint Harrigan that his son is in danger-except he doesn't even have a son. Then the drama Loni predicted unfolds on the news: an orphaned boy is lost in the wilderness. As Loni and Clint help in the search for the boy, they begin to form a bond of their own... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

so bad....
okay, I have never heard of Catherine Anderson, just went by the description of the plot... sounded okay.... Who knew it would be a book that sounds like it was written by a loser from the Romance Writers Convention. And the religion.... El Hunko is mentally listing his must haves in a perfect woman... no.2 is that she have "strong faith in god", another was that she have "respect for human life"... I'm outta here! I was listening to a copy of this from the library and didn't get very far. Very happy I didn't pay any actual money to listen to this.
yeesh.

Great read, talented author
This book was very well written and an enjoyable read. I have no problem with the hero/heroine trying to live their lives according to their faith. It is refreshing to see a story with characters striving to better themselves. It is sad that people in other reviews have to whine just because there is some morality in a romance novel.
Morning light is a great read and Catherine Anderson is to be applauded. She is very talented.

If I could give this a zero star I would.It was a huge disappointment.
The author drones on and on regarding religious values like the Bush administration.i could barely get through it and skipped numerous paragraphs just to see how the book ended - hoping against hope that somewhere, somehow the book would redeem itself.Usually Catherine Anderson writes intensely and brings the characters to life, but this was just too far fetched for me.The characters fall in love almost immediately, they share religious convictions, there is acceptance of the lie that there was a child born some 7 years ago.... can anybody believe this dribble?i thought it was the 1950's.i doubt i can pick up another Anderson novel after this one.I filed the book where I believe it belongs, in my circular waste basket.

morning light
I USUALLY LOVE CATHERINE ANDERSONS BOOKS AND THIS ONE WASNT TOO BAD.CLINT AND LONI WERE INTERESTING AND ALTHOUGH I AM NOT FOUND OF PSYCH BOOKS.I LIKED IT BUT THEN IT ALMOST TURNED INTO AN INFOMERCIAL FOR CATHOLISM.I AM A GOOD CATHOLIC BUT THIS TOTALLY TURNED ME OFF.THE WHOLE COULTER AND KENDRICK CLAN CONVERTS AT THE WEDDING.THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A ROMANCE N OVEL, IF I WANT RELIGION I GO TO CHURCH.

Not great, but not horrible either
I can't add much than what's already been said.Yes, there is a lot of religious discussion in this book, but I didn't feel like it was being pushed at me.I just chalked it up to being a story about two Catholics.
I guess it depends on how much you let it bother you.I don't like people coming to my front door trying to convert me to their religion (that really gets me mad) but I didn't really get that from this book.

The thing that irritated me more about this book is that a lot of it is a rehash of CA's other books.Not all people speak the same way, not even ranchers.I found the dialog very similar and many of the situations/plot lines were similar to past books too.

How many times can you have a cowboy (sorry, horseman) meet a troubled/handicapped/special woman and turn her life around.She doesn't believe she can help, she runs away, he chases after her and wins her back.CA needs to create some different type of characters and come up with different storylines.

But all in all, I don't regret buying and reading the book.It just won't be one that I read over again like I've done with many of her previous books. ... Read more

Product Description
When Molly Wells showed up at Jake Coulter's ranch, she had nothing but some extra clothes, a stolen horse, and a fear of her ex-husband that threatened to rule her life. She'd heard Jake was a real-life horse whisperer-and perhaps the only man alive who could help the beautiful stallion that her ex-husband had so bitterly abused. But she had no idea that Jake's talents would work their magic on her, with the same power to gain her trust, give her strength, and whisper away her deepest fears.

"No one writes riveting emotion quite like Catherine Anderson. Her talent for delving into rich, emotional depths is unmatched." (Romantic Times)

"Catherine Anderson is one of the best romance writers today." (Affaire de Coeur) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

hard-body hero loves plump heroine
Insecure, stout heroine who was newly released from mental clinic she was forced to go to by her ex-husband & stepmother drives to 'horse whisperer's' ranch to save the horse her ex-husband abused. She doesn't tell attractive rancher her identity & the truth of her circumstance b/c of fear that her ex-husband will find her & recommit her to the mental clinic & kill the horse. She agrees to be the rancher'shousekeeper & cook to pay for her horses' therapy & to have room & board for the next 7 months that she needs to lie low to get out of her ex-husband's power of attorney. Heroine finds it hard to believe that hero would actually be attracted to her since she thinks she's as unattractive as her ex-husband told her she was during their 10-yr marriage. But hero is patient with her as she begins to figure out who she is & what she wants on her own terms.

I've never read an Anderson book I haven't liked. This book drew me in the character's feelings & story.It made for a quick read. I couldn't put it down. I liked hero's love for heroine who was insecure about herself & had a lot of baggage.He was not only attractive but also honest, had integrity, & patient with heroine's struggles.It was also endearing for hero to view heroine's ample dimples & soft curves as sexy. Heroine's character changes from a doormat (with her ex-husband) to a more assertive, self-actualized woman was neat to see & believable.Sexual chemistry & love scenes were passionate.This was a beautiful & believable romance.

Highly recommended.

Great Romance
I just finished reading this and loved it. A wonderful romance. I highly recommend all of Catherine Anderson's romances.

phanthom waltz
the coulter series is very down to earth and i like that it has included people with disabilities and presents how thay can go on to lead normal lives.in phantom waltz the challenges boyh physical and psychological were well presented. i'm up to book 5 in the series and can't wait to read the last one.i would have liked to see the author intertwine the past characters in each suceedin book so the reader can keepup.she did accomplish that in MY Sunshine.i like to see how the characters evolve.i was hooked when i read phantom and had to purchase and read the rest.

sweetnothing
Catherine Anderson is such a romantic.Her books are so easy to loose yourself in.She lets them relate to real life but yet have fairytale in them still.

Jake Coulter is a good reason to read this book
This is the first book of Catherine Anderson that i've ever read. I think the best thing about this book is the hero - Jake Coulter. I'm impressed that Anderson managed to create him in such a balanced manner so that he appears utterly perfect, yet somewhat realistic to the reader. Jake says all the right things, does all the right things, and has such good heart and instincts, you can't help but fall in love with him too. Particularly when Jake enjoys his heroine's curves so blatantly, which in itself is a refreshing and sigh-inducing change from the other heroes in other romance novels.

Really though, Jake is the only good reason to stay with this book, which i felt was way too long. The heroine, Molly, tends to get on my nerves after a while. I get that she'd been abused for many years, is traumatized beyond reason and has many insecurities, but i kept wishing for her to grow a back bone and stand up for herself instead of agonising silently while the evil villains decide her fate. I find myself not being able to feel for Molly after a certain point, like all she seems to be is sweet and not much else. There is almost no character or personality to her. In fact, when Jake realises he's in love with Molly only abt a quarter way into the book, i'm terribly unconvinced; there just hasn't been much of Molly shown at this point to make me believe that anyone could have fallen for her, much less Jake! I understand flawed and broken women as much as the next person, but i'm just not seeing the redeeming quality of strength in Molly that makes her lovable. Bottom line, Jake was one helluva hero, too bad Molly was only lukewarm at best and downright annoying at worst. ... Read more

Product Description

He Longed for...

Race Spencer's gunslinging days are far behind him. He is now a rugged, respectable rancher, but it's a solitary life. Then Fate leads Race to an earthbound angel -- lost and alone' the sole survivor of an outlaw attack -- and even his hardened heart is moved. He sweeps the ivory-skinned beauty into his arms and carries her away from danger.

A Woman to Cherish

When innocent Rebecca Morgan wakes up in a stranger's embrace, her life has been changed forever. Race's touch makes her blood sing and stirs up emotions in her she never knew existed. But this man has a fearsome reputation. And though her life may depend on him, can she trust him? Is it love she sees in her rescuer's dark eyes.?

Customer Reviews (22)

Last 49% Of The Book Was Great!
The first 51% not so much! I thought I would NEVER finish this book! the beginning was in almost all detail and no conversation or interaction with the heroine! I actually thought that this would be the 1st and only book by Catherine Anderson that I would not finish and love! Thank god for the last 49% of it! it's a like a light went on in her head that said " Spice it up! " . I was glad I bought it by the end but it was almost deleted off my Kindle! I give it 2 stars!

Awesome Read!
I couldn't put this book down.I've read tons of romances and Lavyrle Spencer has always been my favorite, but with this book, C. Anderson really nails it.I love all the characters and especially the two main ones.The differences between their worlds makes for entertaining reading for sure.Race is a man's man, which is always great to find in the main hero and the way he cares for Rebecca and gives himself up for her time after time is very enchanting.Rebecca is a sweet character who grows as the story unfolds.Many times, you aren't sure where the author is going with this character so you have to keep reading.The love scenes are magical and the best part of the story is the witty reparte' between the two main characters.Their dialogue is so cute and funny and "real".Loved it!Highly recommend.

a great read, couldn't put it down
This was my first Catherine Anderson book.I loved it.I started late on sat.
and finished sometime sunday morning. The relationship that built between Race
and Rebecca was slow and steady.I have recommended this book to many of my
friends who enjoy reading.One friend found it one audio cassette.I am a
reader, but she convinced me to listen.If you find the audio(check out your
library) and give it a listen.I found the book and lend it out to my co reader
who are looking for a good read.

Great title, but long drawn-out tale.
This is the first audio by Catherine Anderson that I have listened to and also my first experience with her storytelling. Cherish is not a bad story and I enjoyed parts of it more than others. There is a great hero named Race Spencer, an earthy cowboy.The voice actor does a good job portraying the voices, especially the slow drawl of Race.

Overall I can not rate this romance very high. It took a very long time for the author to get to the main part of the plot. Even though I like detailed description, this story becomes somewhat repetitive. The last portion of the story moves faster, is more exciting and very well done, but it takes an eternity to build up to that point.

The heroine, Rebecca, is a young, sheltered girl from a strict religious sect. Even knowing that, her character still bothered me. She seemed overly helpless and whiney. She matures as the story evolves, but again, there is a lot of repetition about her sniveling.

I'm sure I will enjoy other Catherine Anderson books, but this one didn't suit my tastes.

Great story, but a reprint
The story is wonderful, emotional and harsh but not depressing. Love wins in the end, just beware that this book is a reprint with a new cover. I was fooled into buying it again after reading the original long ago and misplacing that book. Anyone know when Mrs. Anderson will be publishing a new story and not another reprint?? ... Read more

Product Description
Faking her own death to escape her murderous husband, Rainie Hall takes refuge in the rural community of Crystal Falls, where she finds work as a bookkeeper on a horse ranch run by dangerously good-looking Parker Harrigan. But as their initial attraction blossoms, Rainie fears she can never escape retribution from the man who has sworn to kill her—and that her mere presence could jeopardize everything the Harrigan family holds dear. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Ehhh
This book was really boring. Catherine Anderson goes into too much detail here, and I just could not get into this story. What completely threw me out of interest was when she brought the puppy into the story. Then it became too cutesy. Pass on this one. There are better ones by her.

STAR BRIGHT
This was my first ever Catherine Anderson book. I was attracted to it by the horse theme. The book started out so-so with me. Things that bugged me was how much Rainie and the other of Parker's employee's got paid. What an unbelieveable price. No way. I know that there is money involved with horses. But you never get a real idea as to what exactly he does. And even if he did do well...paying all his employees $60,000+ a year is nuts. There's not that much money involved unless you are in Thoroughbred racing.

Other things that bugged me is her ideas on animal care. Yes they are her opinions. But hypocritcal. A vet not believing in neutering/spaying dogs. What?! So what about gelding the horses? Also, Parker didn't believe in transporting Rainie's cat in a carrier. Puh-lease. How else you supposed to transport a cat. However, Parker leaves his horses locked in stalls all day. At least you get that assumption from the author. I had to laugh at the comment he also makes about sleeping in a stall for a couple days after a foal is born. Whatever.

Having been the first book for me, I had no idea about Loni. The part where she touches Rainie's hand and knows everything going on, about made me give up on this book. I could understand tidbits of information Loni could've gotten. But not as detailed as she talked about. But I still trudged on.

Despite all that, I still enjoyed the characters and the story. I think I'll probaly read another one of these in the Harrigan series. Again, because of the horse theme.

Borrow it, don't buy.
this book was really good... AT FIRST. But then it just dragged on and on and on. Near the end I just skimmed the pages to get to the action and that was hard to find.

Novel - Star Bright
The book arrived promptly and in very good shape.It definitely pays to shop the used book section.

Not her best
This isn't the best Catherine Anderson book, but if you're a fan you'll pick it up anyway. One problem I had with the book, Parker gets a puppy from his sister, who's married to a vet. They will only allow him to take the puppy if he agrees not to have it neutered because the vet feels it's not healthy for the dog. This is an irresponsible statement, especially in light of the fact that millions of animals are killed every year because people don't have them fixed. I expected better. ... Read more

Product Description
When Samantha Harrigan attends the local rodeo, she doesn't expect to wind up in jail. But that's what happens when she tries to stop a drunkard from abusing his horse. Tucker Coulter, a handsome local veterinarian, comes to her defense, and both of them are arrested. The charges are dropped, but Sam's troubles have only started... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

An enjoyable read
Samantha Harrigan can't stand to see a horse abused. That's why the first time that Tucker Coulter sees her, Samantha is standing between a mean drunk and the heartbreakingly submissive horse he's been beating. Tucker and Samantha both wind up in the back of a patrol car when the drunk takes exception to being stopped, and the horse winds up in the hands of the Humane Society. That's the unlikely beginning of both friendship and romance for two people who have many things in common - including strong personal values, large and loving families, and a passion for horses. For Tucker Coulter is a veterinarian who does as much large animal work as he possibly can, and Samantha Harrigan - daughter of millionaire horse breeder Frank Harrigan - is a ranch owner who breeds champion blue roan quarter horses.

Samantha is also the survivor of an abusive marriage, and of a divorce so acrimonious that her father calls her every night to make sure she has set the ranch's security system. Wholly committed to the Roman Catholic faith in which she was raised, Samantha ended her marriage only when she realized that Steve Fisher would kill her if she did nothing to stop him. The last thing she wants, now, is a new man in her life. But when one after another of her beloved and extremely valuable horses falls mysteriously and violently ill, she needs a vet who understands equines. She turns to Tucker Coulter for her horses' sake, and she's shocked when he tells her that he believes the horses are being deliberately poisoned. Who would do such a thing? Samantha herself, both the police and the press quickly conclude. After all, she stands to gain an enormous insurance settlement for each dead horse; and who else with sufficient access knows enough about horses to choose exactly the right poisons?

Author Anderson handles her characters with her usual skill, especially in depicting Samantha's honest adherence to her faith even as attraction to Tucker Coulter overwhelms her. While the story plays out without any major surprises, it is well paced and absorbing. An enjoyable read for romance fans, and quite likely for horse lovers, too.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Granite Island"

Awful
This is my first Catherine Anderson book, and I can't imagine the circumstances which would make me pick up another one of her books. Hoping that it would get better after the first few painful chapters, it just continued to spiral into utterly terrible writing, almost to the point of being humorous with how bad it was.The characters were so poorly developed, the plot was so flat... I don't know where to begin with where exactly it could have been improved.I am a little concerned that at the time I'm writing this review, Sun Kissed has an overall rating over 3 stars. This is certainly not my idea of a good read.Future readers, please take a moment to evaluate how much you value yourself and your time before gambling with this one.The reviews are split pretty clearly, you'll either love it or hate it.Good luck!

Enjoyable read
This was an enjoyable read in that it connected characters from past
books and leaves you with the feeling of looking forward to the next
chapter in the family's lives.

Great
It was great! I love Catherine Anderson! I've read all the Kendrick/Coulter and now Harrigan books and I loved them all! Her knowlege of equines is amazing and her story of love and scandal is marvelous!

For Horse Lovers Only- Jeez
I forced myself to finish this book so i could write a review. I don't like it when people leave low stars when they don't finish a book. I feel like the ending could redeem the book. Well- this one didn't.

This was my first (and possibly last) Catherine Anderson book. I wasn't a big fan of her writing style, and I felt like things dragged at points, but that wasn't the whole reason for giving it one star.

The main character Samantha is the most annoying character I have ever read. This woman loves horses. And I mean LOVES horses. And if you love horses, maybe you'll love this book?It's not like I didn't like horses before this book.... but i do now.

Anderson was also a little too graphic with gross stuff. For instance she wrote of: Horses with horrible smelling diarrhea with blood in the stool, horse gums ozing puss, and dogs with loud and odoriferous farts. Seriously? Not the kinds of books I usually enjoy.

The only part of this book that was of any good was the leading man- Tucker. And even then, he fell for a crazy horse lover and his love was so fast and strong that it came across unbelievable.I hate to give a bad review but I could not stand this book. It was pure punishment to finish it. ... Read more

Product Description
The long-awaited reissue of New York Times bestseller Catherine anderson's "truly spectacular read" (Linda Lael Miller).

Years ago, Amy Masters escaped the Texas plains for a quiet life as a teacher in Oregon. Then, out of the shadows comes Swift Antelope, the Comanche warrior to whom she once pledged her heart. But Amy's brutal past has made it impossible for her to trust any man-even the bold warrior who has haunted her dreams, the only man she ever loved, the Comanche heart she can't live without... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Western romance
I normally read romance, usually something with vampires.With this book, I was weary of reading a western... at the begining.I live in an area the gave birth to some of the legends and tales of the west and it's settling.Growing up with it, I'm just not that interested in reading more stories about it.This story exceeded my expectations in more ways than one.I would definatly recomend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance.

Catherine Anderson never disappoints me
It's been twelve years since Amy Masters survived a two-week captivity by a band of comancheros. During that time, the 12-year-old girl endured repeated gang rape and often wished herself dead. A Comanche boy named Swift Antelope helped her to find her way back to happiness, and she betrothed herself to him - a permanent commitment despite her young age - before his people. Swift Antelope promised to come for Amy and fulfill their betrothal, one day when he was through fighting with his tribe in their war against the U.S. government. In the meantime, he believed she would be safe at her stepfather's Texas farm.

Amy is now a little Oregon town's schoolteacher. She came there to join her sister Loretta, and Loretta's half Comanche husband, Hunter, who is Swift Antelope's closest friend. Amy has lost the peace that she regained during her time among Swift's people. Something haunts her and gives her nightmares that send screams echoing across the small settlement. What else can it be except her memories of the comancheros? When Swift arrives in town, clad in a comanchero's garb and with two silver six-shooters at his belt, Amy's reaction makes that belief even more credible. Swift, who now calls himself Swift Lopez, frightens her half to death just by being in the same room. He says that he has come to claim her as his promised wife, and as far as Hunter and Loretta are concerned that is only right. In the patriarchal society of the 19th Century U.S. frontier, Hunter is Amy's only protector. So if he is on Swift's side, who else can she turn to? Must she surrender herself to this gun-slinging stranger, in whom she only dimly glimpses the boy she still loves?

I'm glad I trusted Catherine Anderson enough to keep reading, because after the first third or so of this book I'd begun to wonder if it would ever break away from the tired (and to me, deeply offensive) formula of "strong man breaks down scared woman's resistance, and forces her to love him." Anderson is the only romance novelist published by the genre's mainstream whose books I enjoy reading, and that's because she always turns that stereotype neatly onto its head. She did that here, too, and when the reversal came it worked beautifully. A terrific read!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Granite Island"

love books
I could asked for nothing more this sellter send their book on time.For a used book it's in really good shape.Bravo.

Oh No!!!!!
Comanche Moon is one of the greatest romance novels ever written....period.It was because of this that I hesitated reading it's sequel Comanche Heart.I was afraid that it would, at worst, taint Comanche Moon and, at best, not live up to it's predecessor.Unfortunately for me...both fears were realized.

Swift Antelope was such a compelling and attractive character in Moon, but honestly, I did not care for him in this book.His gunslinging ways, the crimes he committed, the life he chose just made me disappointed with the man he had become.I also felt that I never really got to UNDERSTAND Swift which may have helped me relate or at least sympathize with him.Neither of those things happened.Amy was also a disappointment to me.If you've read Moon, you know about Amy's difficult past and the abuses she's survived.Swift Antelope played a SIGNIFICANT and positive role in her life and it bothered me how long it took Amy to feel anything but fear when she was around him.I wanted to shout into the book "This is Swift...the one who loves you and supposedly taught you how to love...SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Not a great book.I am trying to forget portions of this book.Hunter and Loretta are also in this book and I am trying to forget how Hunter reacts when his daughter is attacked.The Hunter I know is a strong and mighty warrior....not timid and weak... I need to forget this one and move on!

Rate it Super Star
I was so excited to read this book after reading the first in the series, Comanche Moon". I was praying it would not let me down and knew it would be hard pressed to compare to "Comanche Moon". Well I can honestly say it was every bit as good as the first. Great, gritty characters, full of life and substance. This book drew me in from the beginning and just got better with each chapter. I love a great book that supplies several elements of love, hate, danger, grit and passion and these books nail it all!
Definitely the best series I have read in my 20 yrs of reading Old West and Native American Romance books! Thank you Catherine Anderson for going above and beyond with this fantastic series. Can't wait to get the last two. ... Read more

Product Description
Orphaned after her parents were killed by Comanches, Loretta Simpson still lives in terror that the warriors will return, her fear so powerful, she is no longer able to speak a word.

Hunter of the Wolf believes that Loretta is a woman of ancient prophecy whom he must honor. But Loretta can only see him as the enemy who has kidnapped her, and she refuses to succumb to his control—or his touch.

Despite the hatred between their peoples, Loretta and Hunter gradually find their enmity changing to respect and care. In the midst of such conflict, it will take all the force of their love to find a safe haven. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Western Romance
I read a lot of romance, usually something with vampires.I was weary of reading a western... at first.This book is well written, the story believable, and characters well developed.The fact its a western has nothing to do with the quality of the read, it is very good.

Disappointing.
Comanche life is well written and the hero worked well for me. The heroine however was an almost constant whiner. She didn't want the hero while she had him then wanted him desperately when she thought she had lost him - very unsatisfying and drawn out romance. Can't recommend this book. I struggled to care what happened at the end.

Comanche Moon
I can honestly say this book has giving me nothing but grief to finish.

The main Heroine Loretta Simpson: In the beginning she sounded brave when she confronted the Comanche rounding her house. Sad that she lost her voice in the terrible tragedy that happenend in her life. But through out the book she was eratic, confusing, repetative I felt like pulling my hair out at her undecisiveness. I could understand her mistrust but my gosh Hunter proved his loyalty and love over and over and over.He neve hurt her, never mistreated her, never laid a hand on her. What more did she want? In the end I never truly believed she finally did love him. Ms Anderson rushed it, and nothing of it was real to me.

Hunter of the Wolf: In the beginning he was mean, I did NOT like him at all. In time he won me over. When he knew what had to be done he accepted it whole heartedly. *SPOILERS* He saved her from being raped by her uncle, he took a bullet for her, twice, he saved her numerous times from his cousins wrath from his hatred towards her. He never left her side, was gentle with her, never forced himself on her even though he could have done it LONG TIME AGO, he even wed her with a priest and promised that she would be his only wife. *SPOILERS* He kept proving his love for her (and this is where her undecisiveness comes in) despite her pushing him away REPEATEDLY. It was exhausting!

I have to conclude that this book's supposed 'Hero', for the last 15 chapters (no lie since this book had 400+ pages) was mean, much hatred, and vengeful and had so much violence and horrible things that I couldn't believe I purchased this. If I had wanted to read something like this I would have not reached for it in a romance novel. I thought this book was never going to end. It had to many plots and I understand she was going with the prophecy but goodness. This author CATHERINE ANDERSON was so repetitive that my head hurt.

I can honestly say I will not read "Comanche Heart" Swift's and Amy's story.

Wonderful story
Wonderful story.Very fresh and exciting, new and romantic. Great Indian history, and plot twists. Author builds story, feelings and characters beautifully.Love her books.

This book can keep my adrenalin up till the last page. Absolutely Beautiful2x Love Story!
I was hooked by this book, from first page until its end. This shall be one of the best Historical Romance - living among the Indians - I've read so far. I terribly love this book. It has the most intense love story ever. The Hero (Comanche chief) proposed by force/kidnapped the Heroine, keep her, care for her, but she decide to run away. He kidnapped her again, she run away again. Every time I thought its should be peaceful now, the turmoil start again to bring the adrenaline up. Oh.. Absolutely beautiful, until then a true love appear during the process. A true love which is hard to get.

Never after I finish reading, I start from first page again. Some reviewer said that this book a bit brutal, & tragic. Its true...but I found it as a historical reality.

I begin to love my historical western compare to usual historical.I find some books amaze me, and all of them happen to be western like Silver Lining - Maggie Osborne & Hummingbird-Lavyrle Spencer.

My other collection to be read next shall be : Silken Savage - Catherine Hart, hope will have the same intense love story as this.

I love your writing style Ms. Catherine Anderson, I shall find your other book! How about Simply Love?
... Read more

Product Description

WOUNDED BY VENGEANCE

Caitlin O'Shannessy survived years of abuse at the hands of her alcoholic father. Now he is deadleaving the strong, courageous miss with a Colorado ranch, an unwavering devotion to her brother, a lasting mistrust of men... and an adversary.

HEALED BY LOVE

A man of honor, Ace Keegan returned to No Name intending to avenge his stepfather's murder. But when his calculated anger damages the good name of, his dead enemy's daughter, Ace vows to make amends by marrying the flame-haired Caitlin. For secret pain, insecurity and cruel innuendo cannot dim the proud spirit of the woman they wrongly call "Keegan's whore." And Ace is determined to nurture with patience and love the light his lady Caitlin guards in her damaged heart... until it blazes with the power of a thousand suns.

Customer Reviews (26)

Catherine amderson is a Sensation!!!!
I have never written a review before and I have read literally thousands of romance novels. I tend to read one book by a given author and if I like her writting style I read EVERY book she has ever written. I have done this with countless authors Sandra Brown, Linda L. Miller, Jodi Thomas, Nora Roberts, Just to name a few and usually I can count on the books being a good read . Obviously some are better than others but all in all I am glad I read the book. In the case of Catherine Anderson I have to say I have LOVED each and every one of her books . To date I have read every book she has written except for the ones that are so out of date that the price is outrageous. I have 4 kids in college and can't afford that luxury. All of the books are full of love, happy endings and some even great humor and although set in a different time and place the events are timeless and often I would laugh at how close it has touch my life. If you love romance as I do and you want to read a book with everything a romance novel should be , I urge you not to miss any of Ms. Andersons books each is a treasure to be opened and enjoyed , hope this review will help anyone who is in search of a good romance author whose books you haven't yet read . I wnat to add I don't know Ms. Anderson and I wrote this becasue anyone who loves to read should have the opportunity to read her books. Let me know how you enjoyed them Happy Reading !!!P.S. In Keegans Lady the bedroom scene with the cat had me laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face, I even read it out loud for my husband Enjoy!!

Another great Catherine Anderson Book
I do not normally like that take place in the 1800s, but I have yet to read a Catherine Anderson book that I have not liked.I also love that she will write about how the different family members.You will see Ace's brother Joseph in Summer Breeze.

Simple
If you like romantic books this one is not to be missed.I am not a fan of Catherine Anderson's writing style.As I have bought and reada number of them proceeding this one.

But I find myself looking to see what would happen if there was a book two. If you like romance then this one you should definitely take a closer look at.

Heroine gets a twofer-hero and psychologist
The heroine in this book was too much of a victim for me. Every dimension of her being harkened back to the abuse suffered at the hands of her dastardly father.

The main problem with this book is that it lacked shades of grey and romance. The heroine was goodness and womanhood personified. Yeah, she could be a bit of a pain, but it was not her fault. Look at her father.

The hero was the perfect man. So handsome. So rich. So unbelievably kind and understanding. So ahead of his time in terms of being non-judgemental and understanding the psychological impact of rape. This guy knew and understood everying(except apparently not to read a woman's diary and not to peep while someone is changing clothes). One wonders how he stayed single for so long.

This book lacked story and character development. The hero's beloved step-father was killed after the family moved west for a better life. The family had no money, but the family somehow made it to San Francisco and florished. How did they get to California? What did they do when they got there? How and where did they live?

The heroine was raised by an abusive single father. Was he always like that? What kind of relationship did her parent's have before the mother's death? Did the father love the mother? Was it a forced marriage? What was the mother's background? Was she a lady who had fallen on hard times?

Also, it seemed unrealistic to me that the father would commit the ultimate betrayal only once. The heroine told the hero that it was not repeated because things got better for the family, but the heroine's home and farm was depicted as being quite shabby. The facts don't mesh. Further, once a line in the sand has been crossed, it is hard to believe that the behavior would be off limits again. Did the father have regrets? It would seem so, but the writer leaves that angle unexplored, much to the detriment of realism and depth of story telling.

The relationship between the Ace and Caitlin was not at all romantic to me. It was more "doctor/patient" than "husband/wife". Ace's focus from almost the very beginning was helping her overcome her trauma. Great for a psychological study, but not romantic.

The focus of the book seemed to be "when are they going to do it"? "How will she handle it"? Again, this is not romantic.

Immediately after the marriage, Ace discovered that Caitlin liked cultural things. I anticipated a scene where he would take her to San Francisco where she could at last experience all the things she had yearned for. Never happened. Instead, she settled into a life of keeping house for the hero and his brothers. Not much different from the life she left behind, except no beatings. Not romantic.

Anderson Consistently Scores An A With Me
I've never been a big fan of historical romances. It takes a special author and a special story to draw me in, but Catherine Anderson is a skilled lassoer. :D I first read about Ace and Caitlyn in another excellent story by Anderson, which was entitled 'Summer Breeze'. And their love story didn't disappoint. I found myself speed reading with fervor to get to the moment of justice in seeing the slimy #@%$#@^*'s who ruined so many lives get their comeuppance. The ending brought me to tears as Caitlyn found herself nearly losing the man who she spent so much of the story pushing away. And I have to say there was a sentence or two in there that had me LOL as the Keegan brothers good naturedly bickered on who packed the bigger 'pistol'. This imo is one of Anderson's best books to date. In fact, I only knocked off a point because it was a bit slow to start and kind of dragged in a few spots after the introductory chapter, but hang tight. It picks up pace quickly enough! ... Read more

Product Description
A long-ago accident has left lovely Bethany Coulter confined to a wheelchair-and vulnerable to betrayal and heartbreak. She's vowed never to open her heart to a man again. But there's something about Ryan McKendrick, the handsome rancher who's so sweetly courting her. Something that makes her believe she can overcome every obstacle-and rediscover lifelong, lasting love...

A MAJOR VOICE IN THE ROMANCE GENRE. (Publishers Weekly)

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORYTELLER. (Romantic Times)

Extraordinary praise for the nine-time winner of Romantic Times' KISS Award...

CATHERINE ANDERSON is one of the best romance writers today. (Affaire de Coeur)CATHERINE ANDERSON delivers. (Susan North)CATHERINE ANDERSON's love stories are tender and earthy, passionate and poignant-and always unusual. (Elizabeth Lowell)

CATHERINE ANDERSON gives all her readers hope that, through love, they can conquer anything. (Harriet Klausner)

CATHERINE ANDERSON...is all that romance should be. (Catherine Hart)

CATHERINE ANDERSON is truly one of the great writers. (Painted Rock Reviews) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

awesome
This was the 1st book of cathrine anderson i read and i will never forget it Ryan and Bethany will stay in my heart forever. Great work Cathrine

Best One in the Series
I had been looking for Phantom Waltz for several months.I had all of the other books in this series and love them all.However, I think that Bethany's story is the best one in the series.Catherine Anderson is my favorite author - I cannot read any of her books without laughing and crying at least a few times.She captures romance totally.

Good Book but the family is just unlucky.
I was first drawn by Anderson's books because the characters were not perfect, but this is just too much of a bad thing. It seems like this family is cursed with afflictions. Don't get me wrong, I loved the story, but I'm starting to get tired of the same old same old.

5 stars
I had this book laying around the house from a splurge of used books I bought because they had gotten lots of good reviews, so when I began to read it I was very surprised at the content. I've never read a book in which the leading lady was in a wheelchair, so for that alone I give it 5 stars; kudos to Anderson for doing something different.

I'm not paraplegic, like the leading lady, Bethany, but I have been in a wheelchair all my life so I'm going to review this book as someone who is gimpy herself. I did my best to not judge the character of Bethany too hard because we have different disabilities, different lives, and are different people, but I admit a lot of the book I was mentally 'yes'ing or 'no'ing many things.

It was obvious the author studied up on paraplegia because (especially in the beginning) she was sticking in information wherever she could. A lot of the time, it came from Bethany herself in a very unrealistic portrayal of how one might explain their situation to curious strangers or new acquaintances. No one with any self respect is going to discuss whether or not there are incontinent with someone they just met, and certainly not someone they are on a date with. In my experience, individuals who are crippled later in life tend to be more willing to share personal details of their disabilities with others, and because that is not my situation I wont harp on the character decision to go into great detail about herself. The bathroom talk just really got my eyebrows encroaching on my hairline's personal space.

Bethany's general attitude about her situation was refreshing for me, and realistic (the only cripples you see in entertainment or in the media at all are either the heroes or the long sufferers). She was 8 years into her injuries and wasn't still coming to terms with it or had resentment about it, she was simply living as someone in her situation does.

Ryan, the leading man was a good fit for this type of story. His need to take care of stays justified a lot of his sudden and inexplicable interest in Bethany (but, this is a romance, and so I didn't expect any justification for that behavior, it is what happens in the world of romance novels). At times he knew nothing about paraplegia and then sometimes too much. When he first meets her he knows she is paraplegic simply by the atrophy in her legs. No. Here is how it actually goes: Someone notices you are in a wheelchair and says "Are you paralyzed?" if you say yes they ask how it happened, if you say no they ask if you have MS and if you say no (like I do) they tell you about someone they know with MS and then wander off.

The book was entertaining and surprising. Without giving a spoiler, I'll just say I thought the bar incident was very funny and the end was more dynamic than I was expecting.

GREAT WRITER AND GREAT STORY AS USUAL
I've read all Catherine Anderson's books and I've gotten almost all of them at Amazon. I have never been disappointed on my purchase and have gotten them quickly and in good condition even the second hand books. When buying books I will always go to this site
Sincerely, Audrey Mayes ... Read more

Product Description
Long ago, a poor servant girl created an exquisite wedding gown for her haughty mistress, who was to marry the man that the girl loved with all her heart. Though tempted to stop the marriage using her secret magical skills, she instead ensured the groom's happiness by enchanting the dress so that whoever possessed it would be blessed with true love.

But the spell went delightfully awry, working its magic for the servant girl instead of her mistress-and then the dress mysteriously vanished. Who knows where or when it may turn up next, for some blushing bride to claim as her very own? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

One gem, three dull short stories
Anthologies are always hard to rate because of the varying stories, and this one is no different.

"A PERFECT FIT".
I really found the first story so dull and slow-moving that I didn't even finish it. In it, a middle-aged woman who had a daughter out of wedlock is desperately trying to give her spoiled daughter a respectable wedding to a man of higher social standing. While the wedding is set, the girl doesn't have a wedding dress...the groom's mother thinks the family are social climbers so she sends Viscount Forde (the groom's uncle, I believe) to suss out the situation and get rid of the bride. While Catherine Anderson tries to create a mix of humor and tension through her characters and plot, she falls far short of the goal. In the end, their relationship is uninspiring, the plot is slow-moving and boring and, you're not really left rooting for anyone.


"GLAD RAGS"
Connie Brockaway's "Glad Rags," immediately had me wondering why I've never read anything else by her. In it, we meet Alex, Viscount Thorpe, a war hero recently returned home from Russia and his erstwhile love, Lucy St. James.

Two years before the story takes place, Alex and Lucy had an unofficial engagement but it was suddenly and publically broken when Lucy flirted with another man and Alex rejected her. Lucy's brother, Hugh, is convinced that Alex's actions have condemned Lucy to a life of spinsterhood so, out of revenge, he wins a bet against Alex and forces him to wear a dress in front of a ton party.

Although Alex and Lucy haven't talked since his return to England, she feels compelled to speak with him considering it was her brother who put them into their predicament.

I love the witty, sophisticated dialogue that Brockaway employs. These characters make you laugh and cringe, because their love is apparent even after years apart but their pride--which got them in trouble in the first place--is understandable.

In the end, Brockaway creates tension and a powerful love that has you hoping and praying these two will figure everything out and, for the love of God, just swallow their pride. This one is truly the gem of the anthology.

"SOMETHING SPECIAL"
This one, again, is a story that wasn't all that spectacular, it's really what'd you'd expect from an anthology. Eliza is an intelligent ten-year-old girl who lives with her bachelor father in 1850's Seattle. With the help of a local widow, Eliza brings Penny, an uneducated girl from Boston, to Seattle to be her governess, but really hopes she'll be her new mother.

The father, Joshua, returns from a three-moth business trip and is immediately attracted to Penny but resists the attraction--or tries to. While the characters are pleasant and the story was relatively entertaining, I hate stories like this because the romance seems to develop out of nowhere. The hero and heroine are physically attracted to one another and then, suddenly, they decide they're in love. Some authors can make this work, but Casey Claybourne is not one of them.

"BEAUTIFUL GIFTS"
The final story starts out rather slowly and, I honestly felt my eyes glazing over after the first three pages...I didn't finish this one, so, besides that, I can't offer an opinion.

In short, it's an alright book that would really have just been incredibly mediocre if it hadn't been for Brockaway and "Glad Rags." I'll definitely be looking for more books by her in the future.

Adorable Anthology with Great Hook!
I loved all of the stories in this anthology because of the special and magical plot about the dress.My very favorite has to be GLAD RAGS by Connie Brockway though because she gave that plot a very funny twist.I don't want to give it away because it's so cute but I can say that only Ms. Brockway (and maybe Cary Grant) could have pulled it off!

Really fabulous anthology
I'm kind of sick of anthologies that have two good stories and three bad ones, but this antho is enough to change my mind.First of all, I loved the Brockway one called Glad Rags.Because it was hot:the hero is totally in lust, but he's going off to war, and he doesn't want to leave the heroine alone if he dies.So he backs out of the marriage--and I was DYING for him to come back and make love.Which he does.Fabulous story.I really liked the other ones too, although they don't stand out quite as clearly -- but this is one of those anthologies where I kept reading right through all of them.That almost never happens for me.

I highly recommend this one!

Well, Metzger does a good job...
I agree with the previous reviewer that rating anthologies can be tricky as some stories are always better than others.This one is no different.The book starts off promisingly, with the prologue by Catherine Anderson (who also does the books epilogue).A servant, Aileanna, who descends from a line of sorceress', is stitching her selfish, mistresses wedding dress.Our witch, though, is in love with the groom-to-be, Halford, a highborn English gentleman.Though magic, the dress is blessed to bring good luck to whomever wears it and our couple run off to get married.Halford is willing to forgo his inheritance to be with her and even suggests going to America.Then the story ends.

I had thought that all the stories would be tied together not though a dress but though family connections to that couple.Aileanna had red hair and Halford incredible blue eyes and blond hair and all our hero/heroines had some of the mix.But it was never clear if indeed anyone was related to the young lovers.

The first story is the best.Barbara Metzger's A Perfect Fit comes close to being a perfect story.It is fun, light, believable and enjoyable.Katie Cole, a highborn Lady, lives in a cottage with her daughter, Susannah, preparing for Susannah's wedding to Gerald.Katie lives falsely as a widow; Susannah is a bastard and Katie's family disowned her as she anticipated her wedding vows 18 years earlier.Viscount Forde comes to see if Katie and Susannah are using his nephew, Gerald, for his money and to see if the wedding should happen at all.They are a sexy couple and the dialogue is smart and funny.Of course love blooms, and there is that mysterious wedding dress that just won't get dirty, even when falling in mud.The only flaw with this story is Kate's father.It was unbelievable how he turned up in the end.

Connie Brockway's Glad Rags follows.Alexander, Viscount Thorpe, was sort of engaged to Lucy St. James two years before our story opens.It was never public, just sort of assumed.Lucy, in a fit of pique as she wanted him to actually ask her before he went to war, tries to make him jealous and all that happens is he leaves and they are finished.Now, two year later after his dash off to war, it seems that Alexander's former good friend and Lucy's brother, Hugh, carries a grudge.With a ridiculous bet when Thorpe returns to the Ton party world, he tries to make a fool of Thorpe.The bet was silly and uninteresting. The level of pride between Thorpe and Lucy was over done.The story fails, and badly, as there is no sense of real love or devotion between them. A rather boring story.

Casey Claybourne's Something Special, features a mail order governess to a young girl outside of Seattle.Penny, who comes to teach Eliza without Eliza's Dad knowing as he is away months at a time logging, is a nice heroine.Nice twist about the reading.Eliza and her manservant are engaging as well as Eliza's Dad.It is a nice story and enjoyable.The couple blends well.

Catherine Anderson's Beautiful Gifts is I did not enjoy.Between Faith, a rich NY runaway mom with a little girl, who hails from the East, and our pokey cowboy, Paddy, the story does not work.Faith's father, a rich, vindictive mean man tracks Faith and her daughter to Oregon, where they are staying with Paddy.The father wanted to yet arrange antoher marriage for Faith that she did not want.The way Paddy gets rid of her Dad is unbelievable.A man as devious as Faith's Dad would not leave with his tail between his legs.

And Anderson's epilogue is too short and uncertain.Is Charlotte a descendant of Aileanna and Halford?The book is not clear and I find that I rather know what is going on rather than read between the lines.

A Wonderful Anthology!
Giving an overall rating to an anthology is always VERY difficult.Some stories hit and some miss.Yet, I always enjoy reading an anthology, because you USUALLY come across an unfamiliar author . . . someone new and satisfying.

Scotland, 1790. As she quietly sewed, Aileanna MacEwan moved her weary fingers over the beautiful wedding gown, but alas, the exquisite dress was not for her.It was for her spoiled, ungrateful mistress.Sadly, Aileanna winced.All seemed so unfair, for she was in love . . . in love with the intended groom. Yet, Aileanna knew she COULD give her beloved a lifetime filled with happiness, for inside her flowed the blood of a sorceress and for the man of her dreams, Aileanna WOULD cast a spell . . . and so the legacy of the bewitched wedding dress begins . . .

1). Barbara Metzger: "A PERFECT FIT." - Rating: (4 Stars) (Grade: B+)
This was my first trip into Ms. Metzger's world and the adventure pleasantly surprised me.

Katie Cole may be an earl's daughter, but she spent the last eighteen years raising chickens and an illegitimate daughter.Tanyon Wellforde, Viscount Forde has a very unpleasant task.He must reluctantly cancel his nephew's wedding.It seems Gerald is too young and too inexperienced to deal with the designs of a rural gold-digger. As Gerald's uncle and guardian, it is Forde's duty to find out exactly what Miss Susannah Cole and her mother are!

A PERFECT FIT is delightful, witty, and pleasantly poignant.However, the rushed concocted ending (specifically her unforgiving father's reappearance) caused an otherwise intriguing story to slip a notch.

2). Connie Brockway: "GLAD RAGS." - Rating: (5 big Stars) (Grade: A+)
In an anthology format, I was beginning to think that the perfect story was impossible. Connie Brockway proved me wrong! GLAD RAGS is reading perfection.This little gambol has it all - humor, spice, and wonderful characters.

Innocent, strong-willed Lucy St. James was driving Alexander Thorpe crazy . . . he was love-crazy, lust-crazy, and he was leaving for the Crimea!Therefore, he staunchly resisted Lucy St. James' charms.Alex swore he would not make Lucy a widow nor would he allow her to spend a lifetime married to an invalid!Therefore, he did the next best thing.He crazily bowed out of their relationship.

Using the wedding dress folklore, Brockway successfully spins it with a surprising twist.This talented, creative author surrounds the entire phenomenon with a gentle sense of humor.This is a splendid read.

3). Casey Claybourne: "SOMETHING SPECIAL." - Rating: (5 Stars) (Grade: A).
Goodness another winner!In SOMETHING SPECIAL, Casey Claybourne intensely moves her heartwarming tale start into her reader's heart.

Wealthy, eleven-year-old Eliza Cooper was a lonely little girl.Although her frequently absent father tried, the lonesome child wanted a special friend.She wanted someone to share her life, someone to fuss and encourage her, someone to make every day special.Yes, Eliza wanted someone special - someone like a mother. As Penelope Martin arrived in Seattle, she looked forward to a new life.Although she lacked experience as a teacher, she was willing to learn and she knew she could create a wonderful world for Eliza Cooper.However, Josh Cooper had other ideas for his daughter and those ideas did not include this so-called `governess.'A governess?Why, the woman could not even read!

Through soft humor and likeable characters, Claybourne delivers a very good page-turner. SOMETHING SPECIAL is well written and very enjoyable.

4). Catherine Anderson: "BEAUTIFUL GIFTS." - Rating: (4 Stars) (Grade: B-)
In 1996, Catherine released "Keegan's Lady."This story circled child abuse - abuse by an alcoholic father.In January 2006, Ms. Anderson's Summer Breeze will be available.This book revisits the Keegan/Paxton family.BEAUTIFUL GIFTS is the connection between the two, allowing Anderson's reader to revisit the 1996 story and then move into 2006 and Summer Breeze.

Faith Randolph and her precocious daughter, Charity, are running away.They are running from the dark and sinister nature of one man - Faith's father.Through a quirk of magic, brought on by the wedding dress, Faith embarrassingly stumbles upon Patrick O'Shannessy.She is applying for the position of his housekeeper.Patrick is shocked, not only did he place the advertisement long ago, but also Faith Randolph is hardly the housekeeper type!

Catherine Anderson IS one my favorite authors; her books ARE an automatic buy.They are always tenderly written, poignantly moving, and commonly involve the unusual.Although BEAUTIFUL GIFTS is a lovely story, it does however bog down with information data.The reader is very aware this short story's main objection is its connection value for the Keegan/Paxton legacy.Nevertheless, Anderson's skilled hand manages a lovely soft theme, but in this brief anthology format, the information overload IS a problem.

MaryGrace Meloche. ... Read more

Product Description
Ellie and Tucker Grant used to be in love. But years after the accidental death of their eldest son, the fated divorce, and their gradual transition into very separate lives, Ellie and Tucker are now practically strangers. It's a situation that their two young sons refuse to accept. Convinced that their parents are still meant to be together, the brothers hatch a plan to run away from home into the wilderness. Surely, Ellie and Tucker will come to the rescue-and to their senses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Best Book Ever
This is now one of my most favorite books.I will read this over and over.I loved it, this author is one of the best.I will continue to read her books after such a wonderful read with this one.She draws you right in with the characters and you love and grow right along with them.This particular book struck close to my heart because I have boys of my own.I would recommend this to everyone who enjoys happy endings and isn't afraid to laugh out loud and cry along with the characters.

Heart and Soul
Ellie and Tucker Grant have been divorced for three years, ever since the death of their oldest son Sammy. Now their two younger sons Kody and Zack have taken matters into their own hands, and have run away from home, leaving a letter to their parents informing them that they will not come back unless Ellie and Tucker reconcile, and end this insanity that started ever since Sammy's death. They want their home and their family back.

And so the journey starts into the mountains in Oregon, as Tucker tracks down his kids, with Ellie coming along to help in any way she can. The journey is adventurous, sometimes funny, sometimes suspenseful, sometimes heart wrenching, but most importantly it is a journey of the heart and soul, as both Ellie and Tucker come to terms with the past, the hurt, and their undying love for each other.

I loved this book. The issues were not dealt with superficially, as would be the case in some other books, but rather in a realistic and in depth manner. A poignant, moving, romantic, and adventurous read, as Tucker and Ellie find their way back to each other, and to their kids.

The journey of the heart and the soul.

We love to cry!
My suggestion is to plan a whole afternoon for this book, because you won't want to stop once you start. Divorced parents Ellie and Tucker Grant receive an ultimatum from their two runaway sons. Their chilling note reads: make up and get back together, or we're not coming home. Ellie and Tucker are horrified when they realize the boys have taken off into the Oregon wilderness, using skills Tucker has taught them. That's no consolation when they consider the dangers lurking in the wilds. Their eldest son Sammy died in a horrific accident and they don't want to lose their other two beloved boys. Of course Ellie and Tucker follow them, Tucker with his perky, jealous girlfriend, and Ellie with her soft, city-slicker boyfriend. But there is enforced time for Tucker and Ellie to think, to talk, to share, to cry together. All things they didn't do after Sammy died and their marriage broke down. Unfortunately the land isn't kind to them, and all sorts of dangers lie ahead before they can get safely home. Get your tissues and read, read, read. This is another weepy, honest, emotional and romantic Catherine Anderson winner.

A wonderful story!!
First off I'd like to clear up any confusion that a previous review may have caused. "Always in my heart" is NOT part of the Coulter/Kendrick series!! Hence the reason the main characters are Tucker and Ellie Grant, not Coulter.

Anyway, the story starts off with Ellie Grant missing her boys. They're at the their father's and Ellie is trying to find ways to occupy her time until they get home.She receives a call from Tucker that the boys have run away.And so begins the search for the boys.I won't go in to too much detail, suffice it to say that while finding their children, Ellie and Tucker find their way back to each other as well.

I wasn't entirely sold on Tucker's character.He's supposed to be this big manly man, but he's a little overly sappy for my taste.And I don't entirely buy that they didn't know they still loved each other.Ok sure they'd been through a horrible time, but that's 20 years of love that they just thought had died? Not possible.

Overall I love the story!!I will definitely read it again and again!!

Would have been better if shorter
Ellie and Tucker Grant had a marriage made in Heaven. Both are each other's first love, having been together since they were teenagers, and marry soon after. But the devastating loss of their eldest son rips a barrier in their relationship, and in the end, Tucker leaves and they divorce. No longer able to deal with the memories, Ellie sells the family home and moves a few hours away, taking their two sons with her.

Three years later, while the boys are staying with their father, she gets a call from Tucker, and finds that the boys have run away to the mountains of Oregon and will only come back if the parents work out the kinks in their relationship so they can be a family again.

When each parent brings a "significant other," the boys resort to "Parent Trap" antics to get rid of the superfluous adults. Stuck alone, Ellie and Tucker must rely on each other to find their children and bring them back to safety without killing each other in the process. As they spend time together, they finally realize that the lack of communication after Sammy's death took its toll on the whole family, and they are being offered a second chance to be a family again.

While a great premise, the story is very slow, with far too many long passages of dialog between the parents. How many times can they have the same conversation? And the dialog does not ring true, particularly for Tucker - it is so syrupy, that it's hard to reconcile such a macho man making constant poetic declarations of love. It is fraught with emotion that will bring tears to your eyes, but could easily have been trimmed by about 150 pages and been more compact and believable. ... Read more